Buncombe County News

Ban on Certain Plastics Begins October 1, 2009

Starting October 1, 2009 plastic bottles will be banned from
the landfill in Buncombe County and all across North Carolina. Wood pallets,
oil filters, and oyster shells are also banned.  

The new law targets plastic bottles that have necks smaller than the body of
the container and a screw top, cap or other type of closure.

Frequently asked questions about preparing your recycling:

• Do I have to rinse out the
  bottles? 
  No, but it’s best to dump the liquid, and to rinse
  them if you can.
• Do I have to remove the paper from the bottle or can?
  
  No, just place the bottle or can in the recycling.
• Do I need to remove the lid? 
  Yes, because lids
  are violently propelled objects when plastics are bailed into cubes for sale
  to market.
• Does the number or the recycling symbol on the bottle matter?
  
  Not really – just make sure the plastic bottle has a neck
  that is smaller than the base. If so, it’s recyclable.
• Am I going to get a ticket if I don’t recycle a plastic bottle?
  
  No, individuals will not be inspected; however State solid
  waste inspectors will enforce the law during landfill inspections. Please
  recycle and  help the County avoid penalties and/or fines. 
• Where can I recycle?
  If you’re a Buncombe County
  resident, you have access to curbside service with the local franchised waste
  hauler. The local waste hauler provides both garbage AND recycling service for
  Buncombe County residents. They pick up recycling in blue bags.

  Residents can fill their blue bags with plastic bottles along with
  other recyclables – aluminum cans, steel cans, mixed paper and glass — and
  put it out on the curb next to your garbage can. 

  If you don’t
  subscribe to a waste hauling service, you may use any of Buncombe County’s
  convenience centers to drop off your recycling. The convenience centers are
  located:

  • Behind Earth Fare at the Westgate Shopping Center on I-240
  • At the County Transfer Station off of Brevard Road
  • At the County Landfill off Riverside Drive in North Buncombe County
  • Curbside Management provides a drop center behind Asheville Pizza on
    Merrimon Avenue

The new law means businesses should subscribe to recycling service. There are
a number of businesses in the area who provide commercial recycling pickup
service. Call your local recycler or waste hauler to find out more.  Check
out the handout below for answers to more frequently asked
questions.

DID YOU KNOW?

The residents of North Carolina throw away 12 million tons of
materials a year – that includes recyclable and non-recyclable
items. That’s enough garbage to fill up dumpsters stretching from Woodfin
to Wilmington every 47 days. North Carolina citizens throw away an
estimated 100 plastic drink bottles every second — so recyle! Reducing the
number of bottles going in the landfill will help preserve its
life.  

Most folks don’t realize the huge impact recycling has on the
economy. In NC, we throw away $41.4 million dollars worth
of plastic bottles every year. Did you know that the nation’s second
largest milk jug recycler, Envision Plastics, is right here in NC? Recycling
companies like Envision need all the plastic bottles we can give them – in fact,
they say they can’t get enough! The more bottles we recycle, the better it is
for those recycling businesses and for our environment. 

Recycling supports 14,000 jobs in this state – including jobs in
Buncombe County. That means every time you recycle, you support
a job.